Neutron sources have many potential applications, including medical treatments, isotope production, explosive/fissile materials detection, assaying of precious metal ores, imaging, and others. A particular area of interest is boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), which is a cancer treatment technique in which boron is preferentially concentrated in a patient's malignant tumor and a neutron beam is aimed through the patient at the boron-containing tumor. When the boron atoms capture a neutron, particles are produced having sufficient energy to cause severe damage to the tissue in which it is present. The effect is highly localized, and, as a result, this technique can be used as a highly selective cancer treatment method, effecting only specifically targeted cells.
Many activities employing neutron sources are presently carried out at nuclear research reactors where neutrons are plentiful. However, many practical issues such as safety, nuclear materials handling, and the approach of end-of life and decommissioning of many research reactors make this approach challenging. Accelerator-based neutron sources can be used as a relatively low-cost, compact alternative. For example, a small, relatively inexpensive linear accelerator can be used to accelerate ions, such as protons, which can then be focused on a target capable of generating neutrons.